Great Pyrenees Who Killed 8 Coyotes To Protect Sheep Is Nominated For Farm Dog Of The Year

The dog who killed 8 coyotes to protect a flock of sheep and made headlines late last year is nominated for the Farm Dog Of The Year Award this year.

The two-year old hero livestock guard dog, named Casper, has been nominated for the award by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).

Casper is up against some ruff competition for the title this year. He is up against four other dogs — Trip, a Border Collie from Ohio; Margo, a Rottweiler from Indiana; Cinco, another Border Collie from Utah; and Morgan, a Bernese Mountain Dog.

The People’s Choice Pup winner of the AFBF Farm Dog of the Year is set to win a $5,000 cash prize from Purina and one year’s worth of Purina Pro-Plan dog food.

Furthermore, according to the AFBF, the winner of the competition will be recognized at an award ceremony at the American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in January 2024.

Last year, Casper the Great Pyrenees made headlines when he laid his life on the line to protect a flock of sheep against a pack of 11 coyotes.

On November 04, 2022, Casper killed eight out of the 11 coyotes that threatened to attack six sheep that Casper, and another guard dog, named Daisy, were guarding.

According to Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB), “Casper took out three coyotes that made it inside the pen and then leapt the 4-foot hog wire fence to pursue the rest of the pack.”

Casper didn’t come home for two days after the incident. And when he returned home, he was so injured that his owner, John Wierwille, feared that he wouldn’t make it.

Thankfully, after multiple surgeries and more than one month of recuperation, Casper survived.

On their website, AFBF described the Farm Dog Of The Year award that Casper is nominated for as a contest that, “celebrates farm dogs and the many ways they support farmers and ranchers in producing nutritious food for families and their pets across America.”

AFBF is encouraging the public to vote online for their favorite dog. And you can help Casper win this coveted title by voting here.